Red Cross shares how to avoid home fires during the holiday season

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - December is the month with the most home fires in the United States. Since it is the holiday season, people are cooking more and setting up more decorations than any other time during the year.

“People fire up their fireplaces, turn on their furnaces, use things like wood burning stoves and space heaters,” said communications director for the Red Cross of Idaho, Montana and East Oregon, Matthew Ochsner.

It’s important to not set up too many lights. Ochsner said Christmas lights should not be left on when people leave their homes. Lit candles should never be left unattended either.

The Red Cross encourages people to make sure they have working smoke alarms in their homes. Having a plan to get out of your home if there is a fire is also extremely important.

“When you have a home fire, on average, you have just two minutes to get out of your home safely,” said Ochsner.

Things like curtains and bedding are encouraged to be at least three feet away from sources of heat. Space heaters should be set on solid surfaces so they do not tip over.

The most common cause of home fires is cooking.

“Keep an eye on what you fry,” Ochsner said. “Don’t leave your cooking unattended. Just stay in the kitchen and keep an eye on that.”

If people have fires in their homes, the Red Cross can connect them with community resources to help them on their way to recovery. More information can be found at redcross.org.